Aaron Berger, MD, PhD

Dr. Aaron Berger is a hand and peripheral nerve surgeon who specializes in the care of children with congenital hand differences, traumatic injuries and complex nerve conditions affecting the upper extremity (the arm from shoulder to fingertips). He focuses on restoring function, reducing pain and maximizing independence for children with a wide range of conditions, including brachial plexus birth injury, peripheral nerve injuries and complex reconstructive needs of the hand and upper extremity.

In addition to caring for patients, Berger serves as Director of the Pediatric Hand Surgery Program and Director of the Pediatric Brachial Plexus and Peripheral Nerve Program at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals. He works closely with colleagues across specialties, including orthopedics, neurosurgery, rehabilitation medicine and hand therapy, and participates in multidisciplinary programs focused on peripheral nerve conditions, cerebral palsy and movement disorders, and vascular anomalies. He also serves as a regional referral resource for pediatric hand and peripheral nerve conditions across Northern California as part of a multidisciplinary care model.

Berger earned his medical degree and his doctorate in experimental pathology through the Medical Scientist Training Program at Yale School of Medicine. He completed a residency in plastic surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine, followed by a fellowship in hand and microsurgery at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Before joining UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, Berger held multiple leadership roles at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami, Florida, including Section Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery, as well as Medical Director of the Pediatric Hand Program and the Brachial Plexus and Peripheral Nerve Program.